1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to ladders and, more particularly, to a universal, compact, truck tailgate ladder with support arms.
2. Description of the Related Art
The pick up truck has become one of the most popular vehicles on the road today. No longer used primarily as a company or work vehicle, the pick-up truck is being purchased as a family vehicle due to their convenience and the availability of options that make their ride as comfortable and luxurious as many of their automobile counterparts.
This is not to say that the use of a pick-up truck does not come without any drawbacks. For example, one of the most typical drawbacks is that many people experience trouble accessing the bed portion of the pick-up truck. They are either not tall enough to reach over the sides of the bed or they have trouble climbing up into the truck bed due to the height at which it is located, which can be considerable depending on the type of vehicle. Accordingly, there is a need for a means by which one can access the bed of a pick-up truck easily with a minimal amount of stress or effort.
Another problem associated with entering the bed portion of a pick-up truck is the risk of injury associated with entering the bed portion. Maintaining balance while climbing into the bed portion may be difficult, especially for the elderly, weak and the young.
In the related art, several patents disclose a foldable ladder assembly for a tailgate of a truck. U.S. Pat. No. 5,205,603 issued in the name of Burdette, discloses a ladder mounted slidably and telescopingly inside a tailgate portion.
The problem with the '603 device is that the handle is not integral to the invention, and thus must be separately stored. This increases the risk of loss of the handle. Also, the handle is not adjustable, and cannot be adjusted to facilitate use by operators of varying heights.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,617,930 issued in the name of Elia discloses a rotatable ladder assembly utilizing a wing nut and washer combination which engages the bolt to retain the bar and the components in position when the ladder assembly is in storage position.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,028,063 issued in the name of Andrews discloses a foldable step assembly with handrails, with a base assembly attached to the tailgate inner face with staysert fasteners. The problem with the '063 device is that the handrails are not adjustable.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,024,292 issued in the name of Gilbreath, discloses a portable ladder assembly adapted to be removably mounted between the body of a conventional truck trailer and the tie down rail. The ladder assembly is attached to the rear of the trailer body via jack bolts.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,848,821 issued in the name of Llewellyn, discloses a foldable ladder assembly attached to the outside of a tailgate. A cable is attached to the tailgate and top rear end of pickup to assist the user in climbing. The ladder assembly is mounted to the tailgate via carriage bolts. Pins inserted through holes provide pivotal movement of lower leg members.
The problem with the '821 device is that it is connected to the exterior of the tailgate. This reduces the aesthetics of the truck. Also, any damage to the truck tailgate during use would be visible, since the connection point is on the exterior of the vehicle. In addition, connection of bike racks, or other devices, to the rear tailgate is hindered.
Another problem with the '821 device is that since it does not come into contact with the ground, it is subject to horizontal and vertical movement as the truck moves during use of the invention. This increases the risk of injury to the operator, as stability is reduced during use.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,757,876 issued in the name of Peacock, discloses a collapsible step ladder assembly attached to the inside of a tailgate utilizing parallel yokes as hinging means.
The problem with the '876 device is that the legs are not self adjusting, and require bending down to adjust each leg separately. This is extremely difficult for the weak, infirm, and elderly. Also, the hinges connect the invention directly to the tailgate. This small connection area increases the risk of structural integrity failure of the hinges, especially during lateral movements of the ladder. As such, the risk of damage to the tailgate and consequent injury to the operator is increased.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,620,609 issued in the name of Elsten discloses a removable bumper step which engages the upper edge of a vehicle bumper.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,405,141 issued in the name of Juick, discloses a pair of separate stackable steps which are removably attached to the bumper of a vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,191,388 issued in the name of Barksdale, discloses a foldable ladder assembly mounted to the inside of a tailgate by utilizing L-shaped rods which are secured on one end by a nut. This invention consists of one step. The assembly is made pivotable by virtue of a bolt.
The problem with the '388 device is that since it does not come into contact with the ground, it is subject to horizontal and vertical movement as the truck moves during use of the invention. This increases the risk of injury to the operator, as stability is reduced during use.
U.S. Pat. No. D 296, 887 issued in the name of Walling et al., discloses an ornamental design for a triangularly-shaped vehicle tailgate step.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,853,369 issued in the name of Holden, discloses a foldable step assembly connected to the rear tailgate, and collapsible to a storage position. The assembly consists of spaced arms with pivoting arms and intermediate portions suspended by a linkage to the edge of the tailgate.
A search of the prior art did not disclose any patents that read directly on the claims of the instant invention. Consequently, a need has been felt for providing an apparatus and method which overcomes the problems cited above.